Democrats propose tax hikes in response to Schwarzenegger's fiscal plan

LA Times "The Democrats who control the Legislature have fired their opening salvo against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's spending blueprint, which proposed eliminating California's welfare program and cutting deeply into other state services, by proposing that the state rely instead on billions of dollars in new taxes to balance the budget. The Assembly's Democrats detailed a plan Tuesday that would tax oil companies and borrow billions from the nickel-and-dime deposits that consumers make on recyclable bottles and cans. Tax breaks for businesses that are scheduled to take effect soon would be delayed under the plan."
Neal Boortz's comment on this: "Read this article and then tell me why any sane person with an ounce of drive to succeed would move to California and/or start a business there."

Joe Sestak Wants Terrorists Tried in Open Court

Jennifer Rubin "It’s not easy for a politician to get to the left of the president on anti-terror policies, but Sestak has done it. He may find it difficult if not impossible to get elected when you’re to the left of Obama on the war against Muslim extremists." This from Dick Morris: Capitalize on Sestak scandal;   "Either Sestak is lying and there was never an offer or the White House has skirted very close to having committed a crime or may have stepped over the edge. And, considering the stakes and the nature of what the offer would have to have been, this scandal could reach very high indeed."

Teaching the Pig to Dance: Fred Thompson Opens Up About Life, Politics, and ‘Law and Order’

Big Hollywood "When the subject turned to the last few seasons of the show and its decidedly leftward slant, Thompson got quite animated and passionate. “I do think it has changed somewhat since I left. I noticed a year or so ago, there was one episode about a lawyer who signed off on the so-called torture memos and Cheney and all that. And it was really, really rough and skewed. I didn’t think I saw anything like that when I was there.” "

The Job Nobody Wants

WSJ  " "Anybody in their right mind would turn the job down," Missouri Sen. Kit Bond, the top Republican on the Senate intelligence committee, said Wednesday after speaking to National Security Adviser James Jones about the post. Mr. Bond said the post of director of national intelligence lacks authority and presidential support."  Related: When It Comes to National Intelligence, One Head Is Better than Two "Here’s a thought from out of left field: why not appoint Panetta to the job while letting him keep his current appointment as CIA director?" Max Boot.

‘Don’t Worry, The NG Won’t Do Anything’

Sweetness-Light "The troops, rather than carrying out operations to dismantle drug cartels or human smuggling rings, will be working in back offices helping intelligence officials process information, or be posted as lookouts between ports of entry. "
"Just as we predicted. These National Guard troops are merely tokens."...

Daryl Cagle cartoon . Hat tip to Gail Downie, Nehalem, Oregon

Obama to Suspend Arctic Oil Drilling Until 2011

WSJ "Shell officials appeared resigned to the decision. They acknowledge that Mr. Obama can't halt oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, which is crucial to U.S. energy security. But he can stop oil companies drilling in virgin areas if they haven't started yet. But the decision will be hugely frustrating for the Anglo-Dutch major, which won a slew of legal challenges from environmental groups. It has already started moving equipment up to staging areas in Alaska, ready to commence drilling in July."

MODERN CIVIL RIGHTS: COCKFIGHTING AND SAME-SEX PROMS

Ann Coulter "I just want to say: I think it's fantastic that the Democrats have finally come out against race discrimination. Any day now, maybe they'll come out for fighting the Cold War. Perhaps 100 years from now, they'll be ready to fight the war on terrorism or champion the rights of the unborn. It would be a big help, though, if Democrats could support good causes when it mattered."

Don't ask; don't tell: Joint statement from Milbloggers

 Repeal of DADT seems imminent and I have searched the web for military bloggers' thoughts on the matter. I fear the consequences of this and wanted to see what those with hearts for our military felt.
Tigerhawk    "Over at BLACKFIVE today, Uncle Jimbo posts a Joint Statement from Military Bloggers advocating an end to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Uncle Jimbo (Jim Hanson as signatory to the Statement) is a Retired Special Operations Master Sargeant(sp), and I believe it is fair to say that he is someone who would self-identify as a conservative. Judging from the mixed comments under the post, there is not universal acceptance."
Go visit some San Francisco street event and see if you would repeal DADT.

Deal to End Ban On Gays in Military Takes Shape

WSJ " "We are committed to repealing `Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' a policy that has forced thousands of gay men and women from serving openly in our Armed Forces," said a statement Monday from Mr. Lieberman and Mr. Murphy. "It is our firm belief that it is time to repeal this discriminatory policy."

"Opponents of gay rights were dismayed. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins called the agreement "a back room deal that disregards the views of our troops and uses the military to advance the political agenda of a radical special interest group.""

Obama Loses Border Battle

Human Events  "Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has every right to celebrate the hard-won moral victory for her state. Brewer stood up to the press, the open borders lobby, criticism from arrogant Obama administration officials who haven’t read the Arizona law, a lecturing President of Mexico and illegal alien protesters taking to the streets hurling threats and the dreaded “R” word at her.
She has led the state of Arizona through the gauntlet and the moral victory is theirs.  Connie Hair is a freelance writer, a former speechwriter for Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and a former media and coalitions advisor to the Senate Republican Conference.

Islamophobia is a Social Disease

Mike Adams "Have you ever wondered why liberal professors spend class time characterizing conservative Christians as dangerous while describing Islam as a “religion of peace”? Ever wonder why these liberal professors compare conservative Christians to the Taliban while giving the real Taliban a pass? I think I finally figured it out a few weeks ago after I got a surprise visit from the campus police on the final day of the spring semester."... Background article: How to Offend Barbarians and Promote Diversity .
Mike Adams is a criminology professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and author of Feminists Say the Darndest Things: A Politically Incorrect Professor Confronts "Womyn" On Campus.

A Crisis of Competence in the Gulf

Heritage "...Worse, Obama administration regulators continue to deny Louisiana officials permission to build up barrier islands between the coast’s marshes and the gulf. Federal regulators have so far refused to permit the state to act, fearing the unintended long-term damage to local wildlife. So instead of action, the oil continues to float on shore threatening the livelihoods of millions of Louisianans."